Former world champion Jenson Button says he is shocked Sebastian Vettel will not drive for Ferrari next season and that it would be « madness » if the team had pushed him out.
Ferrari said last week that four-times world champion Vettel would leave them at the end of the 2020 season, after talks on a new contract ended without a deal.
They then replaced the German with Spaniard Carlos Sainz to race alongside Charles Leclerc.
German media had reported that Vettel, who won 14 races with Ferrari and is their third-most successful driver, had rejected a one-year extension with a reduced salary but the 32-year-old said financial matters played no part in the joint decision.
« If he was pushed, for me it’s madness, » Button, the 2009 world champion, told Sky Sports.
« He showed his speed last year. He had a tough moment in the season when Charles was performing really well and that hurt him a bit mentally. But he came back strong … he’s somebody you’d definitely choose to put in your car if you had an F1 team.
« There must be more to it. I don’t know if Ferrari are going down the route of not wanting two number one drivers or what but it’s a really strange choice for me and I’m still shocked that Sebastian (won’t be) in a red car. »
The 2020 season is yet to start due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/29193607/madness-ferrari-pushed-vettel-button
